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An Open Letter To The Residents Living Within The Plantation Acres Improvement District
Some residents of Plantation Acres have organized a plan to dissolve the Plantation Acres Improvement District (PAID). I would like to explain that this is a grass roots resident-led effort, and City Administration will not take a position on the proposal other than to support the will of the resident electors within PAID.
Florida law, Chapter 189 in this case, governs all special districts within the State of Florida. If the PAID Board or the Florida Legislature authorize the dissolution of PAID, and the resident electors of PAID vote to dissolve the District, assets and liabilities of the District may transfer to the City.
So, whether we want to be or not, the City will likely be involved in any dissolution of PAID. In the event the City assumes responsibility for the assets, liabilities, and operations of PAID, action of the City Council will be required. There has been no action taken by City Council at this time in connection with this issue.
Leaders of the proposal to dissolve PAID have met informally with city staff, spelling out their timeline and intentions. We think that’s reasonable because, afterall, you are our residents. We maintain your roads and police your neighborhoods, for example. And I’d like to note that my administration has improved the city’s relationship with PAID. I have respect for their staff and for those elected to the board. That job isn’t easy.
If the residents seeking the dissolution of PAID and City Administration agree that PAID should be dissolved, City Administration will propose to keep the financial lines as currently defined. In other words, if the effort is successfully, City Administration will propose that the District become a dependent special district of the City. This would preserve the existing financial structure and provide for complete transparency. Plantation Acres’ water management challenges are unique. Even the appearance of Acres money used for the rest of the city, or vice versa, is not the way to go. To compute potential costs would be premature, and cost isn’t the point of the campaign, they say.
The City Administration will remain neutral and watch the campaign with great interest. Because I don’t want to enter the debate, City Administration is not stating a position on the proposal.
View the digital copy of a signed original.
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